The War Of Tears
by Secondhand Future
Summary: Set after LA. A dangerous Goron artifact is stolen, Link is dying, and Hyrule's meager peacekeeping forces are overwhelmed, throwing the kingdom into a state of chaos. Please R&R!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Well... no. I don't own anything. Certainly not anything as expensive as, say... Nintendo. So please don't sue me.

**Prologue**

Lack tried her hardest to tread softly. From what she'd heard, the Gorons were stupid, oafish creatures without enough brains to fill a teaspoon, but she knew that the Gerudo libraries tended to be quite biased. She had been lucky to find anything about the Gorons at all, what with the hundreds of volumes about the exploits of Ganondorf during the Imprisoning War. She knew that if she was going to pull this off successfully, she would have to be prepared for anything.

Lack wasn't an ordinary Gerudo. She was clumsy, weak, and not as good-looking as any of her peers. Her strengths lied in her head, causing her to neglect remedying her weaknesses and instead on improving her knowledge of the outside world. She had succeeded in this, but had been left so far behind in the art of theft and espionage that nobody really noticed her anymore. Lack knew that she would only have one chance at proving herself before she was completely left behind. This Goron temple was it.

She tiptoed down a long stone corridor, stopping to listen at every door to hear if there was somebody behind it. Fortunately for her, Gorons tend to snore quite loudly and this task wasn't terribly difficult. She stopped at a beautifully engraved set of double doors and listened. _Nothing._ She tried one of the doors and found it to be locked. She reached into her hair (far more convenient for a thief than pockets) and extracted a metal implement about nine inches long and as thin as a clothes hanger. She carefully inserted it into the keyhole and, after several seconds of seemingly erratic hand movement, the doors opened. She stepped slowly inside.

Lack looked around for anything that seemed to be of value. There were a few clay pots, but not much else to comment on. She turned to leave when something caught her eye. It was a huge green gem embedded in some bizarre Goron metal that she had never seen before, just lying on a table. Her eyes lit up. This was a huge find, something the likes of which hadn't been seen by the Gerudo since the Imprisoning War. She was so excited, in fact, that as she walked through the door as she made her exit she tripped over a sleeping Goron. She hit the ground relatively hard. She got up slowly, checking herself for injuries. She guessed that she had a broken nose, but apart from that she might as well have not fallen at all. Except-

The Goron guard sent a fist the size of a ham straight into the back of Lack's head. She was sent flying through the corridor and landed in a heap at the far end, near a staircase. She blacked out for a moment, then was overtaken once again by the brute. One of it's arms wrapped around Lack's waist, binding her arms to her sides. This was it. There would be no ceremony, no great celebration for the hero that had brought home a big one and ensured that her sisters would eat for the next few years. Just a corpse on the floor of a Goron worship hall that would be carefully stepped around until one of the squeamish oafs decided to clean her up...

Wait.

Gorons were pacifists, and even the sight of blood would often be enough to bring one to it's knees (unless it was in a very bad mood). Lack decided to test a theory she had. She swiftly thrust her head back, making contact with the Goron's rock-hard skin. She jerked her head to the left, causing the wound on the back of her head to begin bleeding profusely. Blood splattered all over the guard's chest and down onto his loincloth. The guard's arms opened slightly.

Lack wasn't a witch. Sometimes she would say she was to eke some respect from her peers or to intimidate racist Humans she met while traveling. It didn't really matter, considering since Ganon's brief return in Holodrum had been blamed on Sister Koume and Sister Kotake all Gerudo were considered spawn of evil and demon-worshipers. The Humans were already afraid enough. But though she wasn't truly a witch, Lack had read through the libraries. She could perform a few basic maneuvers, and that was all she would need.

A dazzling flash of white light pierced the Goron's eyes, sending a shudder of pain through it's head. It clutched at it's face, screaming in agony. The liquid that had once been it's eyes rolled down it's cheeks and the screams grew louder. Lack winced, realizing that if she didn't kill it soon, the wailing would wake the whole chamber. This she proceeded to do, thrusting her spear through the brute's heart. The screams stopped, making the _thump_ of the body hitting the floor quite audible. Lack left the spear where it was. She wouldn't need it on her way out.

Though the guard had proven that this wasn't necessary, Lack made sure that she made as little noise as possible. She climbed over a windowsill after climbing down a set of stairs and slid out into the cool night breeze. The cold bit at the open wound at the back of her head, and she realized that if it wasn't treated soon, it would probably kill her. Oh well. Despite increasing poverty, Gerudo doctors were still excellent, and if she didn't dawdle she'd make it back fine.

Lack was climbing down the side of a cliff on Death Mountain when she felt a sudden warmth that seemed to pulsate from the jewel in her pocket. She realized that she had picked up not just a gem that could be sold but a magical artifact, potentially a powerful one. As she descended the slope, her mind showed her more and more of a future in which the Gerudo were the greatest race, a future that was unblemished by the pathetic peoples of Hyrule. Gorons would be crushed, Zoras would be flayed alive, Scrubs would be burned, Hylians would be chained and forced to work. It was beautiful, said a voice in her head, and it was all possible.

The idea that this voice might be something other than her own mind never occurred to Lack. She didn't seem to notice the voice's strange, (and somewhat serpentine) male quality. Had she been somewhat less entwined in it's message of slaughter and destruction, she might have wondered how she proposed to go about this. However, the voice was so compelling that she could do nothing but listen. And so she did.

**T**

The first scent that reached the noses of the waking Gorons was the rank stench of something dead and rotten. Not something that was to be expected, to be sure. For many of them, the first sight to reach their eyes was the mutilated body of one of their own, with a long Gerudo weapon sticking out of his chest. Few knew what to make of it. Even fewer could have expected what happened next. A deep, yet afraid voice called out from the room at the far end of the hall. It exclaimed something barely audible, yet that everyone understood. _"The stone is gone!_"


	2. The Bad Day

Disclaimer: If I owned LoZ, this would be canon. If it was canon, maybe somebody would review (hint hint). Yeah...

Note: _Lack_ isn't supposed to be the character's name. It's a name that was given to her as a child and which has stuck ever since. For example, in the book _Dreamcatcher_, there is a guy called Beaver. This isn't his name, it's just what everybody (including the author) called him. Oh, and by the way, I'm probably not going to mention Koholint much. The Wind Fish will probably make an appearance and Marin will be in some flashbacks, but that's all.

**The Bad Day**

Princess Zelda was exhausted. Being the ruler of 'everything as far as the eye can see' (Impa had said this once or twice) made one pretty used to stress, but today had been especially headache- inducing. Impa had awakened her long before dawn to give her some disturbing news: a valuable Goron jewel had been stolen the previous night, and a guard had been killed. The culprit was obviously a Gerudo. This disturbed Zelda very much. She had been trying for months to stop the anti-Gerudo shit that had been circulating Hyrule recently, even gone so far as to institute a law stating that anyone known to be spreading racist propaganda would be jailed, and had been somewhat successful. A story like this would cause an incredible public outcry, and all of that work would be in vain.

Zelda decided that thinking of the matter any further this early in the morning could only result in disaster, so she told Impa to go back to bed. After her nurse had left, Zelda got out of bed and searched her bookshelf for a particularly old volume entitled "The Mysterious Heroes Of The Imprisoning War" and flipped through the volume until she found what she was looking for. Sheik. She had come across this book several months ago, and had since learned that an ancient relative of hers had had the ability to transform into a powerful warrior. Though she couldn't transform, Zelda was intrigued by the idea of being strong enough to repel any attempt on her life that might be made. After all, Link had gone off to Din-knows-where and left Hyrule helpless. The day after finding the text, Zelda began using a spare ballroom to train herself (with some help from Impa) and had become quite good.

The day got even worse when Impa came into her room with the next in a long list of misfits and would-be heroes that she was to consider for marriage. This one was nearly seven feet tall and probably weighed less than ninety pounds. He looked more like a coat hanger than a knight. Without thinking, she had dismissed him with a wave of her hand. He looked quite hurt, and Zelda tried to remedy her error by saying that she was sorry, but her heart belonged to another. This was not entirely true, but was better than watching the poor man start to cry.

As the poor hopeful was exiting the front gate, he stumbled over a sort of wet green mound. He stumbled again when the mound gave a loud groan and mumbled something. The thin knight leaned forward, turning the lump over and revealing it to be a young man of about Zelda's age. The young man was shivering, despite the blistering heat of the day. He raised a skeletal hand and groaned again. He looked very sick.

The knight had no idea what to do. He tried shouting for help, but all that came out was a croak. He tried again, but realized that the great wooden door would not let any of his requests through. Despite a disturbing feeling that whatever the poor fellow in green had might be contagious, the knight picked him up and burst through the door, running into the very center of the foyer and demanding aid for the man in his arms. Zelda, thinking that the knight was making a scene because she hadn't agreed to marry him, left her chamber and was about to have him thrown out when she saw the limp form in his arms.

"Link!" she cried, and, forgetting everybody else in the hall, she ran over to him, all the while calling for Impa. When Impa came, he was checked for any injuries that might cause him harm if he was moved. When it had been proven he had none, he was carried into one of the guest rooms, where a more thorough inspection was performed. Despite his apparent lack of any major injuries, his breathing was labored and he could speak very little. When he did say anything, it was usually nonsense, random words strung together. Link's face was gaunt, and the shivering still hadn't stopped. Nor would it.

**T**

It isn't pleasant to know that a friend is dying. To know that nobody can do anything about it is one of the worst feelings that anyone can experience, and Zelda was feeling it right now. Link had destroyed countless monsters and risked his life fighting terrible evils many times, never pausing to think of his own safety. To see him now, skeletal and pale, was almost unbearable. That the life was being drained out of him not because of some great evil but something as passive and seemingly harmless as the sea was hard to believe. But believe it or not, there it was. Zelda stroked his face with two of her fingers. If only she had told him before he left, he might have stayed. Perhaps then she wouldn't have to face the endless swarms of men coming from across the land to beg for her hand.

After several hours, Impa entered the room and, apologizing every other word, said that a group of 'concerned citizens' (probably journalists) had gathered outside the front gate and were demanding to know what the government was doing about the 'Gerudo fiasco'. A few of the better-informed ones were asking if the green-clad man that had been taken in several hours ago was in fact Link, the one who had saved both Labrynna and Holodrum from destruction. If so, one woman asked, would he sign autographs? Princess Zelda virtually had to scream that no further details would be released until the next day.

**T**

Lack found that using the giant stone to gather a crowd was not difficult. Upon seeing it, most bowed down or begged of her a chance to touch it. Just the fact that she was holding it seemed to make the others think she was a goddess. Actually, she felt a little like a goddess herself. She told them all to be silent, then began to speak. The voice that left her lips now was not the same voice that she had used to silence the crowd, which was now quite large.

"Sisters! Do you see this? Do you know what it means? It means freedom!" (Cheers at this) "Freedom from the vile beings that so imprison us in our own homes! Freedom to do and say as we like without the prying eyes of the Humans watching!" (More cheers) "I can give this to you, sisters! All that I ask is that you not question my orders. Do this, and I promise you that the filth of humanity will be destroyed!" (Deafening cheers).


	3. Ambush

Disclaimer: I'd much rather own Blizzard. Maybe then they'd hurry up and make a sequel to Starcraft (another hint).

Note: The Link in this story is Link IV. He is only (according to ZHQ's order) in the Oracle games and Link's Awakening.

**Ambushed**

The next day marked another rude awakening by Impa. She said that the 'concerned citizens' had returned, this time in far greater numbers. Several of them had threatened to camp out on the stone steps until some kind of answer was given. Luckily, Zelda was prepared to face the press this time and quickly got dressed and went outside. As she had expected, a mob of several hundred was banging on the walls with sticks and waving several signs around (of the type that would get them arrested). As soon as the Princess stepped out on to the balcony, all went silent.

"People of Hyrule," she began, "I am afraid that I must confirm the truth of some of the rumors that you may have heard about the events of-"

A woman spoke up. "So you'll confirm that the Gerudo are hell-spawn that ought to be burned at the stake?"

Zelda cleared her throat. "I will not tolerate such talk in my own court. How many Hyrulians have killed their fellows out of greed? I can think of plenty. Should we all cast ourselves into the sea, then?" The crowd seemed to need a moment to think this over. "Nay, as such would be foolish indeed. The acts of an individual should not dictate the fate of a race. Is this not true?"

"Then this thief and murderess shall go unpunished?"

"Of course not. Police will be dispatched and the situation taken care of. The Gerudo officials have always cooperated in the past. Let us hope that recent events have not altered their opinions." Thinking that this would be all, Zelda turned and prepared to leave when a voice cried out:

"What about Link? Is he really here?"

"Well...yes. Link is here. However, he is very sick and cannot see anyone for the time being. I can guarantee that he will sign autographs when he is feeling better."

Zelda didn't like to lie. It hurt her even to suggest that Link would recover because she knew that he wouldn't. Impa had told her that he would die, and that was that. Zelda trusted Impa above all others, and if she didn't think that there was hope then there was none. She sighed to herself. The people would find out soon enough anyway.

Zelda tried to keep her mind off of these things by concentrating on the mystery of what Link had been doing for the past three years. His unconscious mutters often mentioned an island, but that didn't help much. After all, what else could you find in the sea? After sifting through his clothing, she found a few trinkets that gave absolutely no clue at all as to where he had been. A copper disk, a bag of seeds, a bright red flower that looked as though it might have just been picked, about fifty rupees, a glass eye, and a piece of soggy paper with two barely legible phrases on it: 'Don't forget' and 'You will be repaid'. Forget what? Zelda had no idea, and it brought her no closer to figuring out where Link had been.

By far the most disturbing of Zelda's discoveries was that Link had been in combat. Not just fighting monsters (that was all in a day's work), but beings of real power. There were several new scars along his back, one on his forehead, and one around his right wrist. It appeared as if something had tried to sever his hand. Even Ganon hadn't come close to doing anything like that. This meant either that Link had been careless or that there was something across the sea that was _stronger than Ganon_. Zelda decided that she didn't really want to know anymore. She left the guest room and returned to her own.

**T**

Ingo pulled a little harder on the reins of his horses (they were actually Talon's horses, but they ought to be his. How often did Talon use them, anyway?) to prevent them from running out of control. This wasn't really necessary, considering how tired they were because of the long trip from Holodrum, but he didn't want any problems just in case. The last time he had forgotten to slow them down it had cost him two months of pay plus the cost of the eggs he had been hauling. Of course, it probably wouldn't have happened if Talon hadn't insisted upon selling the things in Hyrule, where they might make perhaps an extra rupee a dozen...

Before Ingo could complete this thought, he felt something close around his mouth and eyes. He was struck with a momentary fear, hoping to himself that it wasn't one of those Gerudo come to exact vengeance upon helpless villagers. He wasn't exactly relieved when he heard the his captor yell:

"Somebody tell Princess Zelda that if she doesn't agree to send out soldiers and destroy everything in Gerudo valley, I will kill the people of this land one by one, starting with this man!"

Ingo wasn't sure what to do. He tried to yell to his captor that he was from Holodrum, and that he supported Gerudo-burning with all his heart (he didn't, but he felt he needed to say something), but the hands on his face prevented any sound from reaching the outside world. Before he could even consider coming up with another idea, he heard the whistle of a blade and assumed that it was over. When he opened his eyes, however, he saw that he was not in the afterlife but in the same market he had been leading his wagon through before he had been attacked, which could only mean... He wasn't dead! If this was so, who had been the owner of the swinging sword? Ingo looked around and found himself staring into the eyes of Link, the boy (he wasn't really a boy anymore, though) who had saved the entire land of Holodrum.

Link smiled momentarily, then fell to the earth, nearly impaling himself upon the point of his own sword. Several nearby merchants ran over to his fallen form, trampling the corpse of the fallen terrorist, and with Ingo's help, Link was hoisted into the wagon. He crushed several dozen eggs, but Ingo wasn't worried. He begged the horses to go as fast as they could, and they did so, bringing the cart to the castle within minutes.

Despite a few complaints from Link ("I feel fine, really. I'm not tired at all. Come on, can't I just go for a walk around the courtyard?"), it wasn't very hard to get him back into bed. After insisting that he needed rest, no matter how good he felt, Impa left. This time, she made sure that the door was locked. His little excursion was promising news, but not proof that his condition had improved at all. What it did prove was that the Imperial Police needed to be dispatched immediately.

**T**

Killing the current Queen proved to not be very difficult. Despite Lack's apparent clumsiness, she found the fight to be pretty easy. The voice had told her which moves to make, which strokes to block, even which taunts to use. The whole battle had taken less than fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes, and every Gerudo in the valley was at her disposal. Step one was over.

Lack now sat in a throne that had once belonged to Ganondorf Dragmire, admiring the elaborate carving of the arms. She didn't need to give any orders for the moment. The voice had told her to let the Hyrulians or the Gorons make the first move, and here she was. Suddenly, a young sister that had once been her friend rushed past the guards that had been stationed by the door, blazing across the floor of dirty tiles and bowing down in front of the new Queen.

"I beg your pardon, your highness, but the Hyrulian peacekeepers have arrived to apprehend you." she said breathlessly. "They believe that we will hand you over without questions. What shall we do?"

"How many are there?"

"About fourteen. They are not heavily armed. It would take no time at all to kill them."

"Then do so. Do not disappoint me."


	4. The Darkness Gathers

Disclaimer: I own LoZ. That's right. I also own KFC, Linux, Toyota, and Panasonic. Not.

Note: I have decided to use a **T** to separate each scene. I tried to use something else before (a sort of squiggly line), but it didn't show up. Also, I'm going to introduce three original characters in this chapter. Only one of them is going to be featured as a main character, but all of them are going to be somewhat important in the storyline.

**The Darkness Gathers**

Three days without news wasn't promising. The knights that had been dispatched to Gerudo Valley hadn't sent any sort of report since they had arrived, and Cardoss, the current commander of the Hyrulian Army (could six thousand half-trained peasants who were only obligated to serve only four weeks out of a year really be called an army?), was beginning to worry. He wasn't a supporter of racist propaganda, but as part of his occupation he had learned not to trust anyone but the crown too readily. He scarcely talked to the crown, either. Impa thought that his paranoid manner might rub off on Zelda. Cardoss supposed that this might be true, but the fact that even the Subrosian ambassador saw more of the Princess than he did was pretty annoying.

He shifted in his chair and brushed his long black hair out of his face. He needed to get it cut. That didn't really matter, though. There were still fourteen good men in Gerudo Valley whose fates were unknown. Chances were that they had just forgotten to report, but if they hadn't... Cardoss shifted in his chair again. If they hadn't, there was nothing he could do but pray for their souls.

The door at the end of the room opened and Impa stepped in with a tray, upon which was a kettle of tea and several cups. Cardoss hated tea, but he didn't want to cause any inconvenience to Impa so he took a cup. She turned to leave, remarking as she went that there was to be a briefing in two hours' time and that she thought his hair was cute. She closed the door, laughing. Cardoss frowned, touching his head. Cute, indeed. Despite the weight of the current situation, he decided to make plans for a haircut as soon as possible.

**T**

Link was running from something. He didn't know what, but something was forcing him to run down this dark, never-ending road. He knew that if he took the time even to look back he would be consumed by the fires of some great evil. He also knew that if he reached the end of the road, he would find something beautiful beyond belief, glowing like the first star in the sky at night or a fire far from civilization. That didn't matter to Link now, though. He first needed to survive the creature that was constantly groping at him. It caught only air, but each time it tried, that air was closer. He tried to concentrate on what he was doing, but his attention was drawn away by a voice from far off, as if it were heard underwater.

"Wake up, Link. Wake up..."

Link sat up with a start and found himself staring face to face with Princess Zelda. He felt both gratitude and disappointment. He was glad that Zelda had woken him when she did, but... he wanted to see whatever it was that was at the end of the road. He wanted to see the light. He was stirred from these thoughts when Zelda spoke:

"I'm sorry I had to wake you, but I thought that you might like to hear this. You know about the situation, right?"

"Yeah, Impa told me. You really ought to pay her more than she gets, she's really good at her job..." Link had never really been talkative, but since he regained consciousness he tended to ramble on about things of little importance. Zelda let him finish, but didn't really listen.

"Anyway, there's going to be a meeting concerning the missing police in a few minutes. I'll tell you the outcome when it's over-" Zelda was cut off.

"Can't I go myself? I can sort of walk, and I wouldn't cause any inconvenience..."

"Bullshit. You're not going anywhere. If you get hurt on the way there, it'll take even longer for you to recover-"

"Recover? I know as well as you do that I'm as good as dead. I'd like to make as much use of myself as possible before I meet the Divine." Link didn't say this with any bitterness. He was smiling, and he almost laughed.

Zelda was too shocked to do anything but agree. She asked Impa to get him some crutches, then walked to the room where the meeting was to be held and told the door guard to accept Link when he came. The guard looked somewhat more excited. Meeting a celebrity that can swing a sword around must be more exciting than seeing pretty much every Hyrulian politician on a monthly basis, Zelda thought.

**T**

Seated around a vast marble table were Sir Cardoss, Impa, Fasl (the Zora representative), Scrimp Heckler (the Subrosian representative), Zelda (obviously), and Link. Absent were the representatives from both Death Mountain and Gerudo Valley. It figured that the ones with all the answers wouldn't be there. Scrimp slammed what was probably his fist (you can never tell with Subrosians) down on the table. In his squeak of a voice he yelled:

"What are we waiting for, another temple to fall? (This was a common statement in Subrosia) It is obvious that both the Gerudo and the Gorons have something to hide, so it should be equally obvious that none of their people are going to be coming. Let us begin!"

"Indeed," said Zelda. "We are all here, as you should be aware, to decide upon a plan of action. Should we risk sending another force to try apprehending the murderess?"

"Whatever the decision made, it should be known that the Imperial Army of Hyrule will fully respect the wishes of the crown." said Cardoss in a well-rehearsed monotone.

"I think that perhapss it iss too late," said Fasl. "Thiss Gerudo musst belong to ssome ssort of gang. How elsse could sshe kill fourteen trained knightss? If thiss iss the case, it sseems likely that sshe hass already fled the valley and any further force used would be in vain."

Cardoss spoke again, this time with a slightly angry tone. "It might interest you to know that our knights are not as well trained as the public might think. With the amount of funding we get, it almost seems possible that one Gerudo could-"

"Hyrule has not been at war for nearly seven hundred years. We were prepared to spend more on an army if we needed it." said Impa.

"This isn't what we're here to discuss," Link almost whispered. All eyes turned toward him. "We need a plan of action. It seems likely that we are not just dealing with an individual, but a group. Sending in another little troop of soldiers isn't likely going to help. It also seems likely that the Gorons will try the same thing we did. Maybe we should create a sort of blockade around the valley, separating the Gerudo from any further crimes and the Gorons from making the same mistake we did."

Everybody sat quietly for a moment, letting this sink in. First Zelda nodded in agreement, then Impa did the same. After a second's reflection, Scrimp and Fasl also nodded. Cardoss looked doubtful, but saying that even this would be more exciting than staying here and watching things collect dust, he agreed. "Prepare your men, then," Zelda said to Cardoss. "They will depart in the morning!"

T

He was happy, if a creature so damned could be called happy. His plan was working. The Servant had done everything he had willed her to, and soon the Gorons would realize that retrieving the rock peacefully was not an option. They might fight themselves, but more likely they would get the Humans to do their dirty work for them. Despite arguments from almost everyone, Zelda would want to go herself, probably in disguise. When she did... He could barely contain his excitement. The whole land would be cast into a state of chaos, and He would arise as the most powerful being ever to grace the soil of the mortal world.

He looked through the Servant's eyes again. She was pacing, a habit that He found very distracting. Back and forth, back and forth, back and... ugh. He commanded her to find something to do. She walked outside, stepping off of the paved road and into the sand, where a number of Moblins were sparring with each other. The Gerudo hated monsters, but they would be necessary if His plan was to succeed. And it _would_ succeed. He fed a bit more propaganda to the Servant, enjoying how she lapped it up like a thirsty dog laps up water. The people, in turn, would also listen to His words through the Servant and believe. Fools.


	5. The Sheikah Reborn

Disclaimer: If you're reading this for the sole purpose of eventually suing me, you've got way too much time on your hands. _Nintendo is not mine_.

Note: I apologize for the lack of any sort of action in the last few chapters. I promise that it'll start to get interesting soon. By the way, I will always refer to Sheik as female. This isn't because the one that appears in the games is, it's because this Zelda can't transform. She just wears a disguise in imitation of the original.

**The Sheikah Reborn**

Impa had argued for nearly an hour about how Zelda's people needed her and what a foolish decision it was to go out and fight, but the Princess didn't seem to notice. She said that she was going to go no matter what Impa said, and that the least she could do was to help her train. Impa conceded defeat and retrieved a pair of wooden swords. Zelda had wanted to use real ones, but Impa proved just what a disaster that would be by performing several blows that could easily have taken a limb if the weapons were metal.

Impa couldn't fight quite that well against the Princess anymore. She had simply gotten too good, and though Impa had a huge weight advantage, Zelda was both younger and quicker. Now it was Impa who would be losing limbs. She blocked Zelda's sword several inches from her right ear and repulsed her opponent's blade so hard Zelda was sent flying a few feet. She got up and, faster than the untrained eye could follow, rushed Impa with a stab. It was dodged, but the nurse wasn't quite fast enough and the wood grazed her side. Before Impa could react, Zelda swung her sword to the left in a blow that would have, in real life, decorated the walls with Impa's insides.

"Hehe..." laughed Zelda with a smirk. "That's the fifth time in a row I've shown you up. Will you just admit that I'm good enough to-"

Impa pulled a rupee out of her pocket and jumped at Zelda, pressing it against her throat. It wasn't very sharp, but it drew a trickle of blood. Impa was the one smirking now.

"I won't admit anything. You're arrogant, and that's exactly the thing your opponents will want to take advantage of. I could have ended your life with an almost worthless piece of currency. Just because you trust someone doesn't mean they won't try to kill you."

Impa removed the rupee from Zelda's throat, then got back into position. Zelda, however, didn't look like she wanted to fight anymore. She turned to leave.

"If anyone turns on me and takes my throat out with money, I'll leave everything to the Scrubs." Zelda laughed again, then stepped out, dropping the sword in the doorway with a _clunk_. Impa was a little annoyed, but she didn't have time to think about such things. Somebody needed to make sure that Zelda didn't get killed out on the battlefield. Cardoss could help, but he had an army to lead. Who else was trustworthy enough to be entrusted with the task of taking care of the Princess?

And then Impa realized.

**T**

Sheik (Zelda had decided to stick with the old name) was pleased. The outfit that Impa had made for her, which was an exact duplicate of the one worn by the ancient Sheik, fit perfectly. Zelda was able to produce an accent that sounded like something between an eastern mountains drawl and the voice of a female Zora. It scared the living shit out of Impa when she first heard it, but it fit the character well. Sheik was now a living, breathing entity (sort of), not just a drawing on a page in a book.

Currently, Sheik was on her way to the courtyard, where all of the soldiers that were to form the Gerudo Valley blockade were gathered. She observed the men with mild interest, wanting to see whether things were really as bad as Cardoss had said. She was thinking about this when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"Ze- er... Sheik, you're going to have to talk to Cardoss. He knows that you're coming, but he won't like you tagging along without checking in with him first." It was Impa.

"When you say he knows that I'm coming...?"

"He knows that a traveling mercenary called Sheik has been hired by the real you. That's all." Even when she didn't agree, Impa was always trustworthy.

"Good. And... thank you. I'll try not to get myself killed." Sheik jogged over to where Cardoss was standing and began talking with him. Impa was turned around to go back inside and found herself face-to-face with Link. He really had grown.

"Hi, Impa. Wait... that's Sheik, isn't it?" Link pointed to where she and Cardoss were still talking. "Any chance you could tell me exactly why she's so important?"

"None at all. Just do what you're told." They both laughed. Link walked away, heading in the general direction of Cardoss and Sheik. Impa laughed to herself. It was extremely unlikely that Zelda would come to harm while Link was there, and as long as she didn't want her cover blown, Link would be able to stay. Perfect.

**T**

Cardoss wished he had asked to bring along a few more healers. The headache he woke up with had become infinitely worse in the past hours, to the point that it was almost unbearable. He also wished that Zelda had not requested for both Sheik and Link to come. Link spoke little, but his presence seemed to annoy Sheik greatly. She had more than once suggested that Link ought to return, and once even caught herself halfway through saying that she had more authority than Cardoss. She seemed to have gotten the point, but Cardoss' head still throbbed terribly.

The soldiers, though Cardoss thought them to be undertrained, were unmatched in their resolve to do their leader's will. They needed little food and asked for no rest, though they were given some anyway. Most had horses, so the party traveled quickly over the increasingly sandy wastelands as they neared the desert. It took only three days for the group to reach their destination. The first and second were uneventful, but the events of the third baffled everyone.

A young knight rushed toward Link just before dawn, saying that he had heard the low, grunting voices of Moblins. Link grabbed a sword and left his tent, looking around for any clue that the voices were those of monsters and not of the young man's imagination. He noted some large tracks, but they could be anything. His eyes were pretty good, but with this little light it was hard to tell if anything had been here recently. Link told the soldier to keep on the lookout, but that it wasn't likely that-

The knight almost couldn't believe his eyes. Without even looking behind him, Link unsheathed his sword and raised it behind his back in a blocking motion. There was the heavy clash of two swords, then silence that was scarred only by the deep breaths of what the young man was now sure to be a monster. Link's face lost it's tired quality, instead adopting a look of grim resolve. He swung his sword around several times in motions the soldier could not follow, then, as the body of the Moblin crumpled, he yelled back at the knight to find at least Cardoss. He was then engaged by another monster and the knight bolted.

Cardoss was awakened with a start. He had walked more in the previous day than anyone ought to in twelve. He deserved, he thought, at least a good night's rest. The kid who got him up would be scrubbing bedpans or something by the end of the week, that was for sure...

"Sir! Uh... there's trouble. Uh... see... there are..."

"Spit it out, son." Cardoss didn't like the kid's fearful tone. Maybe somebody had died.

"Moblins, Sir, and plenty of 'em, too. Looks like a few dozen at least..."

"Dammit! Of all the things..." Cardoss let his sentence drift off. He didn't have time to finish it, anyway. He took out his sword and shield and left the tent, praising the divine that he'd worn his clothes to bed.

"Go wake up Sheik! She's the one getting paid for all this!"


	6. Daybreak On The Third

Disclaimer: I don't own LoZ. My name is not Miyamoto.

Note: Yes, Red Baroness, the markers that separate sections didn't show up. I went back and changed everything, though. Thanks for the reviews.

**Daybreak On The Third**

Cardoss needed time to get his night eyes, but there wasn't any. He could pretty easily run right into a Like Like and not notice anything until it had devoured his armor, leaving him undefended. That, thought Cardoss, would not be anything close to good. Wait- he wasn't sure, but he thought he heard something loud and metallic, like the clashing of swords. As sure a sound of combat as agonized screams. Cardoss broke into a run, raising his sword high.

Cardoss dug his blade deep into the back of a Moblin warrior, blood spurting all over his shirt. He pulled it out, then smacked it down hard on the beast's head. There was a faint _crack_, like that of, say, a skull being shattered, then the Moblin fell. His fellows turned around, bringing their crude weapons to bear on Cardoss. He let his legs fall out from under him and hacked at the leg of the nearest brute. It cried out in pain, falling forward and absorbing the blows of the others. Cardoss took advantage of the time it took for the Moblins to extract their weapons from the corpse of their comrade by smiting off the heads of two of the three that remained. The final Moblin, despite genetic stupidity, realized that the situation was hardly advantageous and fled.

As he scanned the area for his men, Cardoss spotted a fairly large pile of Moblin bodies. As he neared it, he realized that their conqueror was standing on top, looking for any remaining survivors. He greeted Cardoss with a shout, then a "Look out!". Cardoss ducked, a maneuver that saved his life. The monster that would have impaled him prepared to strike again, but was killed before it had a chance. Link lowered his bow, smiling. Cardoss let his breath out in a long sigh of relief. He got himself up from under the dead Moblin, then walked over to Link.

"Hell of a morning, eh?"

"Yeah. We don't have time to sit around and chat, though. Did you see any dead?" Link didn't sound very cheerful for someone who had just saved the lives of a few hundred people.

"Only the ones you got. None of ours, if that's what you mean."

Link put a finger to his lips, then beckoned for Cardoss to follow. He walked slowly toward the nearest tent, then pressed himself against the fabric wall with a hand to his ear. Cardoss did the same.

"Bwee... dey got us good. We's 'oled up in some 'umie tent wit a few tousand men out dere. We's doomed. Da job's over." It was a Moblin, and a pretty smart one. He could talk, at least.

"Da job? It not done. Dese men... dey's gonna die. I got disagrees? (A pause. This probably meant that this Moblin was bigger than the others.) Good. Bwee! Let's us show dem 'umies wut we's made of!" There was the shuffling of feet and the clinking of armor. The Moblins were leaving. Link raised his sword, and Cardoss did the same.

Before either had time to react, a battle cry was heard from the other side of the tent, and the sounds of a commotion could be heard from inside. Without pausing to think, Link and Cardoss slashed a hole in the side of the tent, then ran in. There stood Sheik upon the bodies of three huge Moblins. She greeted them with a grunt, then commented that something stank. Cardoss, who was no longer completely absorbed by the fight, doubled over.

"Ugh... that's disgusting! I'm pretty sure something in here's been dead for a while." Cardoss composed himself, but couldn't help scrunching up his nose in revolt.

"The Moblins said something about a job..." Link said. He turned over one of the dead beasts that had been covering what looked to be a great leather sack. The smell became worse. Link bent down and opened the bag, then recoiled, nearly knocking Sheik over. She ran outside holding her stomach. Cardoss peeked inside and wished he hadn't. Within the bag were the remains of the police officers that had been sent to apprehend the Gerudo, all rotten and maggot- ridden. A head rolled out to greet Link with it's sullen eyes and pale face. It was at that point decided that sufficient time had been spent inside. Both men stepped outside, where they proceeded to lose what remained of last night's dinner.

"Praise be the Wind Fish! Why would anyone do that?" Link wasn't sure, but had felt something when Cardoss spoke. It was as if a veil that had been placed over his eyes had been lifted a little. He had no idea what it meant, and wasn't particularly pleased that it had happened at this moment. He had too much to worry about already.

"I don't think the Moblins killed them. They would have eaten the corpses, not carried them around. The bag didn't look like anything a Moblin could have produced, either. It was too elaborate. No, I think those poor souls were killed by somebody else who then paid the monsters to carry them away. It must have been a lot of money, too. Even a Moblin would be bound to smell that... well, you know." Link avoided mentioning the Gerudo writing on the bag. He knew that Cardoss was the one in charge here, and that such information might cause him to do something rash.

**T**

They had made it. It had taken several hours to create a pyre to burn the remains of the dead (near the desert, wood is pretty scarce), but the men deserved a break. They had all mounted again around noon, and continued to ride until they reached the crumbling remains of a massive well. This was to be the final point. Cardoss was busy preparing a proper camp and giving hundreds of orders. By the time the tents were up again and everyone knew what they were to do the next day, it was nearly sundown. The men had prepared a bit of a feast in honor of Link, Sheik, and Cardoss for saving their lives without interrupting their slumber, and were a little shocked when none of the three ate anything.

**T**

The banners were ready, and the soldiers were armed. Moblins and Octoroks and Stalfos, all prepared to march. Upon their helms they bore the purple star of the New Movement. They thirsted for combat, and they would get it soon. On the morrow they would come upon the little human camp and smother it. All of Hyrule would not be far behind. A Gerudo with a horn blew the note of war and the army began to move. A Dodongo roared and sat still until it was prodded, then reluctantly started to walk. Slowly, it was true, but quickly enough. The land was as prone as a pile of dry kindling waiting for a spark, and this force would light it. Then all would burn...


	7. Farore's Light

Disclaimer: Do I even need to write this? Just in case I do, I don't own LoZ.

Note: I am going to kill off some characters eventually. Probably nobody important, but there are going to be some deaths. And no, Cardoss is not a self- insertion. I just felt the need for a character that was a little more flawed, and he was it.

**Farore's Light**

Link was close now. The object- whatever it was- was almost within his grasp. It's brilliant aura nearly blinded him, but he didn't mind. He could almost touch it, but every time he grasped at it it managed to evade his clutching fingers. The thing behind him, though, wasn't going to have so much trouble getting him once it caught up. He had outrun it for the moment, but it would be right behind him again soon. Link tried again to grasp the beautiful thing, but it managed to give him the slip again. He was becoming annoyed, but tried to keep calm. Just as he was about to try again, the thing spoke in a female voice that he recognized, yet didn't. The concept was so strange, he decided to ignore the voice and concentrate on the words.

"Link... you said you wouldn't forget... you promised..."

"Forget what? What have I forgotten?"

"You forgot me... you promised..." Damn, that voice was familiar.

"Who are you? Do I know you?"

"Don't worry... I forgive you... come here..." Link tried to grasp the orb of light, but it danced around his hand once again.

"Not yet... later... after they flee... find me..." Link gave up trying to ask the voice any questions. He decided to wait until it had finished speaking.

"Find me... angels... later... flee... promise..." The voice was beginning to fade.

"I promise I'll look for you."

"Good... go... they need..."

Link awoke to the smell of a fire. He dressed himself, then trudged outside to where a number of soldiers were turning a pig upon a spit over an open flame. They greeted him warmly. He sat down next to Cardoss, who looked as tired as Link felt. He raised his mug and nodded at Link when he saw him.

"Ugh... you look awful." Cardoss was clearly not a morning person, and his voice was hoarse. "I hope you slept better than I did. Nightmares, you know. Get a lot of those in my line of work. I was dreaming that I was home, and everything was okay for a while, but then somebody with an axe beheaded all of Uma's horses. I tried to- oh, never mind. You probably don't care. Hell, I don't either." Link actually _was_ interested, but he didn't say anything.

They sat there for close to an hour, eventually daring to try the bacon, which was awful. After a time, Sheik emerged from her tent, wearing all of her weapons and looking as if she expected a group of monsters was waiting for her. Some of the knights looked a little afraid, but most didn't notice at all. One or two pointed and laughed. Though it was hard to see her eyes, it was pretty clear that they were not shooting kind glances at the men who were rolling on the dirt laughing. Sheik sighed and paced around for a bit, then left for her post.

**T**

Zelda hadn't really thought about how boring this job would be. She had known that there was going to be a lot of waiting, but she hadn't really thought about it. Now she sat watching a featureless landscape for any sort of moving figure. It seemed pointless to her, but Cardoss had asked her to patrol, and if he felt that he needed extra eyes...

Her mind began to drift, as it so often did. _Link_... when could she tell him? Certainly not while she maintained this persona out in the desert, but when they returned to the castle, maybe. Hopefully before Impa brought in another awful suitor, but if she had to reject another poor knight before she could profess her love she supposed it wouldn't be so bad. Zelda and Link of Hyrule... the Princess liked the sound of it, but she couldn't really use it yet.

"Sheik! Hey, Sheik! What are you, deaf? We've spotted something coming up the hill. Looks to be a pretty big force, and we can't even see the whole thing yet. Can you see the same?" It was one of Cardoss' men. Sheik decided to ignore the insult and take a look. What she saw both scared and excited her.

An army.

Not just any army, either. A force of magnificent proportions, one that could certainly destroy the whole blockade without losing a quarter of it's numbers. Why, though? Why would the monsters rally such an army, and why would they do it here? It wasn't logical at all. The Gerudo couldn't be paying them to fight because they didn't have enough money to feed themselves. Besides, they hated monsters. Now wasn't the time to contemplate such things, though. Sheik shouted:

"Yes, I see it! Go back to camp and tell everyone to prepare for battle, and ask Link to meet me here!"

"Yes, sir!" The knight mounted his horse and galloped into the distance.

**T**

"Wow. There really are a lot of them. Do you have any ideas as to what we should do?" Link's voice took Sheik by surprise. She had once again let her mind wander.

"I have an idea, but it'll take some work."

"Well...?"

"These beasts are powerful, but they lack the one thing that keeps any from failing in battle. They do not see Farore's light." Sheik was taking this almost directly from Impa's mouth, but Link didn't seem to notice.

"So they're cowards. I don't think that we're going to be able to just scare them away."

"Maybe... but maybe not." Sheik was becoming quite enthusiastic now. "The monsters depend on good leadership. If enough of their leaders were killed, they might break ranks." Link nodded in agreement, then said:

"It's sound, but it won't work unless we have the full cooperation of the troops. There won't be much time until the monsters get here." Link whistled for a steed, then mounted when it arrived. Sheik got on behind him, and they sped off in the direction of the camp.

**T**

"Bwee! Ain't nobody here!"

"Esk nol festreck for dola..." A Stalfos argued.

"Me don't give none! No 'umies to kill, then me leavin'. Hate much trudgin'."

"Ain't nobody leavin'! Da Queen tolds us what's to be done, so we's gonna do its! Bwee!"

"Mes crasaal for temal drak lessap-" Said another Stalfos. "Nol... casser them an dretag tamosser!" These were the Stalfos' last words, as an arrow peirced his helm and destroyed his skull. His comrades all drew their swords, and just in time. Hundreds of knights on horseback began to pour over the ridge a few meters ahead. In seconds they had broken through the front lines and were hacking their way through the unprepared monsters in the center.

"Draw, fools! Dere be war makin' today!"

This was not going well. It wasn't easy to make out the leaders in the middle of a commotion, what with all of the brutes trying to kill you. Sheik slashed at a Moblin, only managing to take off it's arm. It picked up it's weapon from the dead fingers of it's severed arm and charged her again. This time it was too enraged to try to dodge Sheik's attack and it's head was smitten off. She was doing well, but that didn't help the situation at all. She would need to find one of the Captains, or-

A huge beast pushed it's way through the battle, crushing many of it's underlings but not caring. It was an ancient one, a creature that had lived for thousands of years preparing for this moment. It recognized Sheik as a bitter enemy (it had lived _that_ long) and charged her. It's rusty, ancient blade was drawn forth from it's rotting leather scabbard and was brandished high. The monsters around it cheered joyfully. Sheik smiled grimly.


	8. The Wind Fish's Gifts

Disclaimer: Whatever it is, the answer is no.

Note: Uh... I lied. I'm sorry. It's up to you to figure out what about.

**The Wind Fish's Gifts**

The beast clenched it's teeth tightly and swung it's blade down, missing Sheik by inches and leaving a huge gash in the sand. She dismounted as fast as she could, then raised her sword to block the stroke of the skeletal monster. The weapons connected, sending rusty shrapnel flying in all directions. Sheik jumped backwards, then ducked, the monster's sword missing by only the breadth of a hair. The Moblins nearby jeered. She leapt toward the creature, swinging her sword with both hands on the hilt. It struck true, slicing through several ribs effortlessly. The beast wailed loudly, then, abandoning it's blade, it hit Sheik in the side of the head with the palm of it's bony hand. Sheik fell to the earth, landing hard on her left arm. It broke with an audible _snap_, and Sheik cried out loudly. The monster, having picked up it's sword again, prepared to strike-

"Gaaaaaah!" The Dodongo roared. It swung it's head sharply to the left, tearing the monster in two. It took in air, preparing to douse anything in it's sight with napalm. Sheik used her good arm to hack off the leg of the Moblin that stood above her, causing it to fall upon her, shielding her from the heat. It smelled awful, but... _whoosh_. Sheik was blinded temporarily by the hell- fire despite her closed eyelids, but a majority of the heat was deflected by the now- dead monster. The fire of reality left her, replaced by a cool blackness.

**T**

The field of battle was empty, save the corpses of monsters. The few knights that had survived the conflict (less than one hundred) had used coals from the brush fire that the Dodongo had caused to burn the bodies of the noble dead. It had been a victory (the monsters _had_ retreated), but you wouldn't know it by looking at the survivors. Some were missing limbs, some were missing brothers. Nobody had left that smouldering field unchanged. Sheik still hadn't regained consciousness, but none of the healers would dare to try getting her out of it. She might not even be Hylian, and nobody wanted to hazard a guess as to how her body might function. Cardoss was now the proud owner of a long, dark scar along the right side of his face. He wasn't one to complain, so he said that Uma would probably have his head and left it at that. Link had nearly had his hand severed again. The healer had, to his dismay, told him not to use a sword for two weeks.

Link was bothered more and more by a little voice in his head that told him to get going to wherever he had promised to go. Another little voice said that he was needed here, and that the meager clues he had been given were too little to justify departing the tiny blockade. Angels? There was nothing in this forsaken wasteland. He would stay until he recieved further instruction. Until then...

"You said you would come, Link. We're waiting..." It was his old friend, the mysterious voice. Here, it seemed, to give more cryptic instruction.

"Cryptic? Oh, that's right. You were asleep. It's kind of hard to hear when your body is shut down. Hmmm... anyway, if you're ready to get a move on..." Unlike the previous night, the voice didn't speak in monotone. Another effect of being contacted while asleep.

"Sure. Uh... have you got a name?"

"Of course I do, silly. You've just forgotten. You promised you wouldn't, too. Now, get a horse."

Link stepped out of his tent and into the light. As soon as his eyes were adjusted, he flagged down Cardoss and asked to borrow a steed. The knight's eyes, which had aged so much in the past hours, lit up with some of their usual spark. He took Link to the stable tent, which was not quite as full as it had once been. He opened one of the stalls and brought out a rather plain- looking chestnut. He smiled at Link's skeptical expression.

"She doesn't really look like an Imperial, but she can run like the wind if there's a good rider in command. I saw how you rode into battle, and from what I can tell you're pretty good. Don't use any baby talk and you'll be okay. She's thrown people off for treating her like an infant. Also, don't call her _horse_. Her name is Epona, and you'd better learn to use it. I got her from Lon Lon ranch a few years back. The thing with the seasons hit them pretty hard, and they needed to get rid of a few luxuries. Uh... unless you'd like another one?" Epona looked at him, then at Link. Link suspected that the horse might give him a kick in the groin if he refused, so he agreed and climbed on.

**T**

Cardoss hadn't been lying about the horse's abilities. Epona had hammered on at full tilt for more than an hour without any sign of tiring. Link, who still had no idea where he was headed, tried to get some answers from the voice. She was more than happy to answer some questions, while she flatly refused others. It was somewhat irritating, but gave him something to do.

"So... I've met you before?"

"Of course!"

"Were we friends?"

"Mmmm... yes. Hehe..."

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. All will be cleared up in time." This always seemed to be her response to questions she wouldn't (or couldn't) answer.

"Wow. I've never seen a place like this before. Land as far as you can see... there was a desert back home, but it was nothing like this... wait. Look to the right a little." The voice would often also speak of 'back home' as if he knew what she was talking about. Link obeyed her and turned his head. Into his view came a great temple made all of marble, with thousands of marble statues of winged creatures scattered around it. He urged Epona to speed up, and she did. Within minutes they had reached the statue- littered courtyard, where Link began to wonder where it had all come from. The carved marble was of Goron quality, yet it did not bear the markings of the Gorons or of anyone else. The beings portrayed appeared to be Hylian, but all had wings like those of birds. The voice instructed him to go to the front steps.

A sound like that of a whale's cry was heard, then the sky grew dark. Out of a parting in the clouds floated a massive beast, like a whale, and yet unlike. It had the sleek blue- gray body of a sea creature, but instead of fins it had wings like those on the statues. Link fell into a kneeling position, as if praying.

Suddenly the scene changed. It was no longer the day but the night. The scene was now that of Link's nightmares, the never- ending road. Now, though, there was no monster behind him. There was something, to be sure, but it was more like the hand of a mentor on his shoulder than a being of destruction. Link reached out toward the glowing orb and grasped it. The light faded momentarily, then became so bright that Link let go and put a hand over his eyes. The deed was done, however. The light rammed straight into his chest (his heart, to be exact) then disappeared. Link fell forward.

He remembered.


	9. The Wind Fish's Gifts 2

Disclaimer: I don't own LoZ or anything else interesting enough to write fanfiction about.

Note: The last chapter was supposed to be much longer, but I realized that it would take too long to update. So... I decided to flesh it out with a scene involving Scrimp and Impa and make it two. No, I'm not writing a romance fic here. That's about it.

**The Wind Fish's Gifts (2)**

Din, Scrimp was annoying. Impa didn't really blame him for wanting to see Zelda during a crisis, but after the third time being escorted out by the palace guards, you'd think he would give up. Subrosians were known for two things: metalwork and stubbornness. Scrimp was not a smith, but he was a prime example of the latter. After asking politely the first two times, he returned with an entourage of riflemen. Nobody took him seriously, though, and he was removed. Right now he was outside trying to force the door open, yelling threats of a weapon shortage at the people in the foyer. Most just laughed.

It hadn't taken Impa long to realize how much the people had grown dependant on their leader. She was constantly receiving complaints about problems, both serious and minor, and was hard- pressed to fix any of them. There was simply too much to do in too little time. Of course, a lot of her time needed to be used assuring the press that Zelda was ill and couldn't make any comments. Damn that girl... Impa hoped sincerely that she hadn't gotten herself into trouble. There hadn't been any news since the arrival of the troops a day ago, and judging by that there had been no serious problems, but Impa couldn't simply forget her duty. No member of the royal family had been slain in office for three hundred years (Vortigan the half- heart had really been asking for it, too), and it probably had at least something to do with the care of the Impa family. The current nurse was, naturally, worried. There would be time for that later, though. There was an angry midget with a mind to tear down the castle outside, and Impa felt it was time the farce was ended and someone removed him.

**T**

"Why? Why did I need to know? Why do you show me such things?" Link was fighting tears and losing. Did this beast mean to torture him with the weapons of his own mind?

"I SEEK ONLY TO HEAL. I SHOWED YOU THESE THINGS ONLY TO AID YOUR CAUSE. YOU ARE OWED MUCH, AND SOME I HOPE TO REPAY." The winged creature sung a loud note like that of a whale, which managed somehow to translate itself into words that could be understood by a mortal. It sounded concerned.

"What are you, then? An agent of the goddesses?"

"WHAT I AM IS OF NO CONCERN TO YOU. WHAT SHOULD MATTER IS THAT YOUR LAND TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION. ALL IT AWAITS IS A TINY PUSH, AND THAT PUSH HAS BEEN SUPPLIED. I HAVE COME TO BESTOW UPON YOU THE MEANS TO... AHEM... PUSH BACK."

"If you have come only to tell me of deeds I have done that matter not, then leave. Otherwise, show me what you mean." Link was not angry, but he wished that he could have some time to reflect upon the year he had spent on that island...

"TIME YOU WOULD HAVE, INDEED, BUT THERE IS NONE NOW. I GIVE YOU THE POWERS OF THE HEAVENS, TO USE AS YOU WILL." The sky seemed to split in two above the great behemoth. The clouds parted, but instead of revealing the sun, they gave a view of the starry night sky. From each star in view was issued a bolt of lightning. These tore through the air, crashing into the statues that surrounded the shrine. The marble carvings were luminous for a moment, then the light disappeared. Though it was hard to see in the dim light, the way the starlight reflected off of the statues reminded Link of... armor.

The parting in the clouds was swallowed up again, then the sky cleared up entirely, returning to it's usual brightness. Beneath the rays of the sun, it became clear that the statues were now not statues at all, but living creatures dressed in pristine armor of a silvery blue. Each brandished a long pike and had a face that was exactly identical to that of the angel next to him. They bowed down in reverence before the Wind Fish, then turned to Link in perfect synchronization. As one man they declared:

"Hail to Link, our savior! Show us our quarry, for our blades are thirsty!"

"WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THIS, YOUNG ONE? HAVE I CHANGED YOUR OPINION AT ALL?" The Wind Fish was no longer concerned, but amused.

"I don't understand... why would you care about the affairs of mortals?"

"You saved him from an eternity of hell, Link, and that's not something that people tend to forget about easily. Plus, I was there to nag him." It was that voice again. Except... it wasn't coming from the inside of Link's head anymore. It's owner stood right in front of him, and he was shocked that he hadn't noticed her (or at least the statue that she used to be) when he had first arrived. She was dressed in the same manner as all of the other angels, armor included, but she was identical in no other way. Her hair was long and of a bright orange color, as opposed to the silvery locks of the others, and instead of a pike she carried a silver harp.

"Marin?"

"Of course! You didn't think that I would let the Wind Fish conjure up an army without letting me come along?" There was a moment of awkward silence, then the two embraced.

**T**

Of all the black things that could have happened to His plans, this was the least desirable. He knew that it was possible that the little squad of humans could have fought back His army somehow, but that it could be done so efficiently seemed impossible. Certainly He was prepared to try again, but this time He would use not just monsters but Gerudo, who were far braver and more loyal. He would get the Servant to lead the attack herself. Perhaps then He could find a true host, someone who would do until his true self was ready. He supposed that Link was an option, but He liked the idea of killing him better. Something to think about, indeed.

**T**

"_You let him do what!?_" Sheik couldn't believe her ears.

"I gave him a horse and let him go wherever he wanted to go. We can't stay here either. Start packing, because we're going to be gone by morning.";

"But... but... I... how... you... I should have you removed from command!" Sheik regretted these words as soon as they came out of her mouth.

"Removed? You may have been personally selected for service by the Princess, but so was I. Therefore, she's the only one with the authority to give me any orders. Got it, soldier?"

"I... I've got it, Sir." Sheik hated to have to submit, but there wasn't anything more she could do. Attracting attention to herself would do more harm than good.

Since she had never really unpacked her things anyway, Sheik had nothing to do but think. As she thought, her mind drifted more and more toward Link, as often it did. What was he doing? Could he be thinking of her...?


End file.
